Chrysanthemum plant named `Glowing Lynn`

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Glowing Lynn particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; decorative capitulum type; greyed-orange ray floret color, with darker center of the flower; diameter across face of capitulum of 51 to 60 mm when fully opened; branching pattern is spreading and prolific, with 7 to 9 laterals developing after pinch when grown outside under natural daylength in fall flowerings; natural season flower date of August 27 to September 5 when planting rooted cuttings on June 17 to 21 in Salinas, Calif., and of September 20 to 30 when planting rooted cuttings June 15 to 18 in Hightstown, N.J.; plant height of 23 to 25 cm when grown in fall under natural daylength with no growth regulators; and durable, uniform performance.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar named Glowing Lynn.

Glowing Lynn, identified as 7978 (88-264Q01), is a product of a mutationinduction program. The new cultivar was discovered and selected byinventor Leon Glicenstein on Sep. 1, 1993 in a controlled environment inSalinas, Calif. as one flowering plant within a flowering blockestablished as rooted cuttings from stock plants which had been exposedas unrooted cuttings to an X-ray source of 2000 rads in Fort Myers, Fla.on Jan. 28, 1993. The irradiated parent cultivar was the cultivar PeachyLynn, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,892 and described as a flatdecorative garden mum with peach-orange flower color with darker centerof the flower.

The irradiation program resulting in Glowing Lynn had as its primaryobjective the expansion of color ranges of the cultivar Lynn, disclosedin U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,171 and the parent cultivar Peachy Lynn. Theirradiation program comprised irradiation of cuttings of the parentcultivar at irradiation levels of 1500, 1750 and 2000 rads. A total of253 cuttings harvested from a total of 225 irradiated plants wereplanted on Jun. 21, 1993. Of these, 1 initial selection was made, whichselection was then revegetated and reflowered. Three consecutiveflowerings resulted in maintaining this selection as a PI (PossibleIntroduction) and was further trialed in Salinas, Calif., Hightstown,N.J. and Leamington, Ontario, Canada, ultimately resulting in thedecision to introduce this selection as Glowing Lynn.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Glowing Lynn was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection inNovember of 1993 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., bytechnicians working under supervision of Leon Glicenstein.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Glowing Lynn are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Glowing Lynn has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in controlled open areas in Salinas, Calif., and in Hightstown,N.J. Rooted cuttings were established in soil and maintained outdoorsunder the natural temperature and daylength prevailing during Junethrough October.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Glowing Lynn, which, in combination,distinguish this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Decorative capitulum type.

3. Greyed-orange ray floret color, with darker center of the flower.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of 51 to 60 mm when fully opened.

5. Branching pattern is spreading and prolific,

with 7 to 9 laterals developing after pinch when grown outside undernatural daylength in fall flowerings.

6. Natural season flower date of August 27 to September 5 when plantingrooted cuttings on June 17 to 21 in Salinas, Calif., and of September 20to 30 when planting rooted cuttings June 15 to 18 in Hightstown, N.J.

7. Plant height of 23 to 25 cm when grown in fall under naturaldaylength with no growth regulators.

8. Durable, uniform performance.

The accompanying photographic drawing is a color photograph of GlowingLynn grown as a pinched garden mum under natural season outsideconditions in Salinas, Calif., with the colors being as nearly true aspossible with illustrations of this type. Plants were grown outside anddug and transplanted in 15 cm pots for photography purposes.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar incomparison to Glowing Lynn are the parent cultivar Peachy Lynn and thegrandparent cultivar Lynn. All traits of Glowing Lynn are similar tothose of Lynn and Peachy Lynn, except for the ray floret color. The rayfloret color of Glowing Lynn is greyed-orange with darker center of theflower (RHS 168C to 168D), while the ray floret color of Lynn isdescribed as light purple (RHS 75B. 75C), and the ray floret color ofPeachy Lynn is peach-orange (RHS 179D for mature outer petals). GlowingLynn is distinguished from Radiant Lynn, a mutation of Lynn disclosed inPlant Pat. No. 8,877, only by ray floret color.

In the following description color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined onplant material grown as a pinched garden mum grown outdoors in Salinas,Calif. on Sep. 1, 1995.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv Glowing Lynn.

Commercial.--Flat decorative garden mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat

Type.--Decorative.

Diameter across face.--51 to 60 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters.--Greyed-orangewith darker center of the flower.

Color (upper surface).--168C to 168D, with darker center of the flower.

Color (under surface).--179D, streaked with 178C.

Shape.--Cross-section of young ray florets concave, longitudinal sectionof outer ray florets convex. Ray floret tips emarginate.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--9A.

Color (immature).--144C.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; very few, no pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--23 to 25 cm when grown in fall under natural daylength with nogrowth regulators.

Branching pattern.--spreading and prolific, with 7 to 9 lateralsdeveloping after pinch when grown outside under natural daylength infall flowerings.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--Small, lobed, slightly serrated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant namedGlowing Lynn, as described and illustrated.